Bloody fistfights and sloppy drunks are not part of the image
and atmosphere the owners of the family entertainment complex
surrounding Morgan Hill Bowl envisioned, which is why they are
refusing to consider inviting former Krazy Koyote musical acts to
their StriXe Lounge.
Morgan Hill – Bloody fistfights and sloppy drunks are not part of the image and atmosphere the owners of the family entertainment complex surrounding Morgan Hill Bowl envisioned, which is why they are refusing to consider inviting former Krazy Koyote musical acts to their StriXe Lounge.
The lounge opened last October with the rebirth of the bowling alley. The owners renovated and upgraded the alley itself, plus a teen-dream arcade and a new bocci ball area, all designed for family fun. Betsy’s Restaurant, a Morgan Hill staple, is included in the package as is the bar.
But the lounge’s early days were not auspicious, as police were frequently called to deal with excessive drinking and fighting, even a life-threatening stabbing in the parking lot in May. Co-owner Bill George said drastic measures were taken to “clean up” the atmosphere and tone down the clientele.
Working closely with the Morgan Hill police, George said, security personnel were hired and trained extensively, regular patrols of the parking lot were instituted and cameras were installed inside. A dress code was introduced – no gang-affiliated colors, no baggy pants, no sideways ball caps and no guys in tank tops – and lounge personnel received additional training in recognizing patrons who have had too much to drink.
Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson said the department has noticed a decline in calls for service to the lounge.
“We’ve definitely noticed an improvement in the last few months,” he said. “We still regularly patrol that area, but that’s a gathering spot, with the movie theaters there, as well as StriXe and the bowling alley. I think we’ve seen a lot less problems associated with StriXe.”
Now that nights are calmer, StriXe lounge owners say they are not willing to jeopardize their improved environment by inviting in controversial performers that once frequented the now-defunct Krazy Koyote in Gilroy.
The old Gilroy bar had a reputation for trouble, with gang fights, shootings and stabbings. It was a regular stop for Gilroy police officers, especially on the weekend. Some in the community blamed the musical groups that performed there, saying they brought in a “bad element.”
Now, some of those same groups are contacting StriXe owners, asking to bring their show to the lounge.
“I’m telling them no,” George said. “That’s not what we want for StriXe.”
Now that the Gilroy bar has burned down, however, its regulars may be looking for a new haunt.
Most recently, the Krazy Koyote was the site of an Aug. 17 fire, which did not completely destroy the facility but caused an estimated $30,000 in damages. Presumably at the same time the fire was started, racial epithets were spraypainted on the walls. Owners of the bar George and Marcos Headley are African-American and have reported receiving racist phone calls at their bar in the past.
But before the fire, the Headleys were facing loss of their ABC license and possible closure of the bar. The city of Gilroy was considering pulling or suspending the Koyote’s business license after three gang-related shootings and a brawl in which officers fired pepper-balls to break up a 150-person crowd, all since last November.
George said he has no intention of allowing StriXe to go the way of the Koyote, adding that he will continue to be vigilant in working with the police department and discouraging the “Koyote element” from establishing itself at the lounge.
“That’s not our type of clientele, and they’re not welcome at StriXe,” he said. “We have established the kind of atmosphere we want, and we’re not going to let that get pushed aside.”
